Cry
by Falling Embers
Summary: Ginny and Harry meet at the lake, will some unrevealed secrets come about?


I'll always remember  
  
It was late afternoon  
  
It lasted forever  
  
And ended too soon  
  
You were all by yourself  
  
Staring up at a dark gray sky  
  
I was changed Virginia Weasley sat in the Gryffindor common room one Saturday afternoon just after her arrival at Hogwarts for her fifth year. She was now 15 years old, but felt so much older. She'd had to grow up so quickly in the past year. They all had. Around her was noisy, carefree chatter from all the other Gryffindors who were trying to keep their mind off the dark and awful things happening outside of the castle. Deciding she needed air, Ginny stepped hastily out of the portrait and dissented down the many staircases to the entrance hall. It was so wonderful to be outside. Starting next week, there would not be many chances to smell the fresh air, except for her Care of Magical Creatures class. All Hogsmeade weekends had been canceled because the students would all be easy targets out on their own like that. Even Quidditch had been canceled. Though Dumbledore said this was because it would attract attention, Ginny was pretty sure she knew different. Because of one, single person. Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived. Not once, not twice, but four times had he escaped Lord Voldemort. His latest escape was still fresh on everyone's mind, not least the ones that had been there. Ginny shivered at the thought. For now, there had been a curfew posted. Everyone must be in their common rooms after dinner, no excuses except for detentions or a dire emergency or if they were a Prefect or Head Boy/Girl. As it was not after dinner just yet, Ginny had decided that it would be okay to wander out to the lake. She sat up against a tree and watch the giant squid's tentacles protrude lazily from the lake. She heard an odd, sniffling noise. It sounded like someone was crying. She got up, curious to see who was crying and if she could help them. Ginny followed the noise to a tree about 20 yards away and, seeing who it was, her heart gave a huge leap. Tears streaming freely from his eyes, looking up at the sky that seemed to mirror his emotions, and quite alone, was Harry Potter.  
In places no one would find  
All your feelings so deep inside  
It was then that I realized  
That forever was in your eyes  
The moment I saw you cry  
  
Something stirred inside of Ginny's very soul. She had always been quite taken with Harry, ever since her big brother, Bill, had told her about him one Christmas Eve when she couldn't fall asleep. That night, along with the visions of Father Christmas, candy, and presents, Ginny saw a beautiful boy only a year older than her, with bright green eyes and unmanageable black hair. But this was different. This feeling, wherever it had come from, was nothing Ginny had ever experienced in her short fifteen years, even in the last year when she'd eventually gotten over blushing and stuttering in front of him. Everyone thought it was the fact that she'd begun dating other boys, but only Ginny knew that it was something entirely different. Harry would never have noticed to her if she'd continually dipped her elbow in the butter dish at his mere presence, so she eventually pulled her head out of her rear end and convinced herself that this way was better. Something pulled her to where he was sitting, where she asked tentatively, "Harry? Are you okay?"  
  
She could've kicked herself for saying it. Of course he wasn't okay. Boys didn't just cry like that for no reason, and she had six older brothers, she should know. When they cried like that it was because they were hurting, a hurt that only came from heartbreak, or anguish, or complete and utter depression. But then, Harry Potter looked up at her, his big green eyes glistening with fresh tears. How she longed to wipe them away.  
  
"Ginny?" he croaked.  
  
"Yes, Harry, it's me. . .what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Ginny said worriedly. All she wanted to do was hold him until he stopped hurting.  
  
"I've just been thinking about. . .about what's been happening, and the tournament, and Cedric and Sirius and Bill. . .," he said, trailing off. Before she could stop herself, Ginny kneeled down beside him, cupped his face inside her small hands and said very softly, "Harry, none of that was your fault. It will never be your fault. It was Vol-voldemort. Not you. Never you. Sirius dyed trying to protect you, and Wormtail killed Cedric, and Bill. . .he died fighting. You had nothing to do with any of it."  
  
It was late in September  
And I've seen you before  
You were always the cold one  
But I was never that sure  
You were all by yourself  
Staring at a dark gray sky  
I was changed  
  
He looked at the girl kneeling in front of him, his eyes wide and pain showing visibly through them.  
  
"You. . .you don't blame me? But Bill. . .he wasn't supposed to. . .he wouldn't have had to. . .," he said through tears. But Ginny stopped him.  
  
"What Bill happened to was no one's fault but Voldemort's. Bill was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I miss him, too, Harry. I miss him more than anything in the world. But we've got to accept it. We have to be strong.," Ginny said, tears now stinging her eyes, too. Bill, her beloved Bill, had been caught in the crossfire of a battle between the Death Eaters along with Voldemort and the Aurors. Sometimes she still couldn't believe it. She wasn't sure why she was saying this or how she managed to get it out, but somehow she felt better when she said it. Ginny gently wrapped her arms around a sobbing Harry.  
  
"Ginny," he said, his voice muffled from her hug, "Why are you doing this?"  
  
"Because, Harry. I love you."  
  
She said it so nonchalantly that one would think she was saying to a brother or a trusted friend. But no, she had just said that to the boy she'd had a crush on since her nursery school days. She found it very hard to keep eye contact with him now, but she did, and she gave a watery smile.  
  
I wanted to hold you  
I wanted to make it go away  
I wanted to know you  
I wanted to make your everything all right  
  
Harry felt his cheek being caressed. He'd never heard those words before. Those three little words. The Dursleys had certainly never said it to him. The rest of the Weasleys, while like his family, had never uttered those words, exactly. None of his friends had ever said it; not even Sirius had ever said it. He suddenly had a very warm feeling in his stomach and heart. He found himself cheering up slightly, and wiping tears out of his eyes. Before he realized what he was doing, he was wiping the tears out of Ginny Weasley's eyes, too. Ginny Weasley. When did you become so beautiful?, he thought, brushing strands of fiery red hair out of her face. Even with such close contact, she did not blush. Before him, in his opinion, was an angel. His angel. She'd come to him when no one else had. Not even Ron and Hermione, but they had business of their own to tend to. Ginny's velvety brown eyes looked at him with a glint of wonder in them, as though she couldn't believe it. Her hair danced around in the wind, and he could almost see the halo he was sure was perched atop her beautiful head.  
  
He saw something that looked like mischief in her eyes, and then without warning, he was aware of something very soft and warm on his mouth. Lips. Ginny's lips. Not much made sense to him right now, but he knew as long as he kept kissing these lips that everything would be all right. It began to rain and Ginny pulled away from him and stood up. Then she started dancing around freely, pulling him up to dance with her. Feeling very awkward, he let her lead. She grinned up at him.  
  
"If we can dance in this rain, Harry, than we can dance in any rain. Just you and me," she whispered to him. He leaned into her and kissed her again, though this one was much deeper and more passionate. He was going enjoy every single second of this---  
  
"POTTER! WEASLEY!"  
  
They sprang apart as Professor McGonagall marched toward them. Uh oh.  
  
"Looks like we're in trouble.," Ginny whispered.  
  
"At least it's with you, love.," Harry whispered back, taking her hand and smiling the first real smile he'd worn in months. All because of a certain red haired angel.  
  
In places no one would find  
All your feelings so deep inside  
It was then that I realized  
That forever was in your eyes  
The moment I saw you cry 


End file.
